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C. F. DE ARDEN. AUTOMATIG SHUT-OFF FOR ROOF TANKS.

No. 521,336. Patented June 12, 1894.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. DE ARDEN, OF NEW YORK, NQY.

' AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR ROOF-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,336, dated June 12, 1894.

Application filed August 31, 1893. Serial No. 484,428. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. DE ARDEN, of NewYork, in the countyand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Shut-Offs for Roof-Tanks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

In large buildings where much water is used it is customary to rely for the supply of water for immediate consumption upon tanks placed upon the roofs of the buildings and filled by means of a pump placed in the basement of the building and under the control of the'janitor. It often happens that the janitor sets the pump in operation for the purpose of filling the tank and then occupies himself about something else, leaving the pump in operation; through absence of the janitor at the time when the tank is full, as indicated by the running of water through the waste pipe, the pump is not stopped at the proper time and much water runs to waste. This is particularly undesirable when the water supply is low or when water is supplied to the building through a meter.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and effective device for automatically cutting ofiffrom the pump the supply of gas or steam, as the case may be, as soon as the tank is filled to overflowing.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a convenient embodiment of my invention: Figure 1 is a partial side elevation, partly broken out, showing a roof tank, a pump for supplying it with water, and my improved device combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view to illustrate a detail of construction hereinafter referred to.

The usual roof tank A is represented as adapted to be supplied with water through a pipe B frofn a pump 0. The latter may be of any usual or preferred variety, it being immaterial, so far as concerns my presentinvention, whether the pump be operated by steam or gas. At D I have indicated a pipe for conducting to the pump 0 the steam or gas or whatever may be used as the source of power, the pipe being provided at d with a valve which controls the supply of gas or steam and by closing which at any time the pump may be stopped. The tank A is also provided with an overflow pipe E, which, as shown, conducts the waste water from the tank to the drain pipe in the basement, indicated at F, and is disposed in the vicinity of the pipe D. Upon a suitable standard G is pivoted a lever H which at one end is provided with acounterweight I and at the other end supports a buck et K, the counterweight being sufficient'to hold the bucket in its highest position when the latter is emptied, but when the bucket is full it overbalances the counterweight and descends. I prefer to provide the bucket K with a cover is, which is secured in place by bolts k or otherwise and receives somewhat loosely the pipe E. The latter is provided'at' its lower end with a flange or collar e which will prevent the withdrawal of the bucket from the pipe. The cover it is provided with ears 10 in which are secured bolts which enter loosely the corresponding slots h formed in forked ends h, h,0f the lever H. The lever H is adapted to operate the valve d during the descent of the bucket K and for this purpose the stem of the valve d is provided with an arm at, which is shifted by the lever. If it is desired that the movement of the lever shall close the valve d but shall not open it when moved in the opposite direction, the end of the arm d will be arranged so that it shall be struck by the lever .in its movement; but if it, is desired that the lever shall both open and close the valve the end of the arm (1' will be engaged with a slot k formed in the lever H. It is obvious that the lever will remain in a position to keep the valve closed until the counterweight restores it to normal position after the emptying of the bucket K.

I provide means whereby the bucket shall be caused automatically to discharge its load when it has descended to its lowest position and whereby the discharge opening inthe bucket shall be closed again as the bucket rises. The bottom of the bucket is provided with a discharge tube or nozzleL in which is placed a valve M. The stem of this valve is provided with an arm 'm, the outer end of which has a Weight m sufficient to close the valve when unsupported. In the path of the arm m, as it descends with the bucket K, is

readiness to receive the overflow when the tank is again filled. As before stated the valve at will be opened again it its arm be connected to the lever 11.

It is obvious that in place of the weight on, the end of the arm at might be caused to engage a slot or notch in the part N with the same result.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a roof-tank or reservoir, an overflow pipe for the same, a pump and a pipe to conduct water therefrom to the roof tank, of a feed pipe to supplythe source of power to said pump, a valve for said pipe, a lever to operate the valve, a counterweight upon one end of said lever, and a bucket supported by the free end of said lever and adapted to receive the overflow from the tank, a valve to control the discharge from said bucket, an arm connected to said valve, andastop for the free end of said arm whereby said valve is opened during the descent of the bucket, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with a roof-tank or reservoir, an overflow pipe for the same,apump and a pipe to conduct water therefrom to the roof-tank,of a feed pipe to supply the source of power to said pump, a valve for said pipe, a lever to operate the valve, a counterweight upon one end of said lever, and abucket supported by the free end of said lever and adapted to receive the overflow from the tank, a cover secured to said bucket and permitting the overflow pipe to pass freely through the same, and a flange on the lower end of said pipe to prevent the withdrawal of the bucket, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. DE ARDEN.

Witnesses:

A. N. J ESBERA, A. WIDDER. 

